(CreatorsVice) VR World, a two-story virtual reality paradise on Manhattan’s 34th Street, recently opened just 50 feet from the Empire State Building. The space bills itself as the “largest virtual reality experience center in the western hemisphere,” and it certainly has the widest selection of VR anywhere in New York. The building’s two active floors packs around 50 games, films, and experiences.
Since the operation’s soft launch on June 21, visitors have ranged from VR-familiar invitees to tourist families drawn in through the front door by its bright logo and surreal window display. This, like every aspect of VR World, is by design. “People can come here and experience VR without having to drop thousands of dollars on a headset,” says Drew Arnold, VR World’s Chief Creative Officer. “We stayed away from the arcade, TRON, gaming aesthetic. We love those cultures, but we also want to talk to people who are coming in from Times Square.”